Seeking the Permission of the Parents to Seek Knowledge

Ash-Shaykh Aboo 'Abdir-Rahmaan Muqbil bin Haadee al-Waadi'ee, rahimahUllaah, said:


"Beware! Beware! The ignorant parents will prevent you from seeking beneficial knowledge. Verily the hearts of many parents are filled with love of this life and they are shortsighted. They only think about the future of their child in this life."


In Masaa'il Ibn Haani': I heard Aboo 'Abdir-Rahmaan - he meant Ahmad ibn Hanbal - when he was asked about the man who sought permission from his parents to travel and seek Ahadeeth and by so doing, benefit them say: 'With respect to seeking knowledge, I do not see any problem with it, because he does not need their permission to seek knowledge, nor to benefit from it.'


I am not ordering you to disobey your parents nor to cut yourselves off from them, but I am ordering you to do what is better, which is to benefit Islaam and the Muslims. However, if they require you to provide money for them or you to serve them, then it is not permissible for you to leave them based on the Hadeeth, 

'Exert yourselves in serving them.'

He, rahimahUllaah, also said:


In answering a questioner who asked, "I have a desire to seek knowledge and my father prevents me from doing so. So, it is allowable for me to disobey him and leave to seek knowledge? Or do we obey them, and Allaah willing, get rewarded for doing so?"


Ash-Shaykh, rahimahUllaah, answered:


"You have a desire to seek knowledge and your father is stopping you? Is it permissible for you to leave and seek knowledge when your father is stopping you, or not? If your father needs you to provide money and to assist him and he does not have any other source except Allaah and you, then it is not permissible for you to leave your father, and the Prophet (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: "Man is sufficient as a sinner if he neglects those who he provides for."


The Prophet, sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, aid when a man sought his permission to wage Jihaad, 

"Are your parents alive?" He said: "Yes." He said: "Strive hard in serving them."

"And whoever fears Allaah, a way out will be provided for him." 

[Sooratut-Tallaq 65:2]

If you fear Allaah perhaps Allaah will deliver to you someone who can teach you, or you can purchase some tapes from which to learn.


- From Supporting the Rights of the Believing Women, p. 148-149 -